The company is flanked by another rare combination – neighbors who like each other, enjoy working together, and care about the area.

“We’re lucky in that we have good neighbors,” says Craig Ehrnst, NCCI treasurer, who serves as president of the Peninsula Corporate Center property owners’ association. “We work hard to do our part, too, of course, so it’s a win-win situation”

Meet the Neighbors
The Peninsula Corporate Center neighborhood is a mix of residential units – the 155-unit Central Park townhouse development to the north – and commercial properties to the south and east.

The newest neighbor is a Mobil gas station and convenience store that opened in November on the site of the former NexStore Marketplace, a gas station/gourmet market.

There are plans for a new office building to be erected on the vacant property next door to the gas station.  The proposal recently received the blessing of Boca Raton’s Planning and Zoning board, but a groundbreaking date has not been set.

The proposed two-story building will be crescent-shaped.  Its tall, glass-enclosed entryway will be nestled behind reflecting pools and fountains.

Favorite Lunch Spot

NCCI’s neighbor to the immediate South, at 950 Peninsula Corporate Circle, is a three-story office complex owned by longtime Boca Raton Developer Jamie Danburg.

The complex is build around an open-air courtyard atrium filled with light, fresh air, and picnic tables – a favorite lunchtime spot for tenants.

The easternmost neighbor is the Hilton Garden Inn, which had been in financial limbo for several months.

The hotel has just been transferred to a new owner who rehired much of the existing staff and is expected to breathe new life into the property.

Economy Takes a Toll

In 2010, the sputtering economy forced Central Park developer Lennar Homes to scale back on further development in the area and reduce the prices of the two-story townhomes.

Homeowner Association President Teri Noland says that, although Lennar is still the owner of record, the developer has largely shifted upkeep and responsibility over to the association.

“There were, and still are, still some issues with the landscaping and drainage, but we’re coping,” Noland says.  “Overall, we love living here.”

The economy also caught up with the owner of the NexStore Marketplace, which folded in 2009.  It also affected the property adjacent to the marketplace/gas station, which did not attract buyers until it was put on the auction block.  The high bidder was Dizengoff Trading, an investment company based in Israel.

Ehrnst and Danburg speculate Dizengoff, which is proposing the new crescent-shaped office building, will make the building its regional headquarters.   Ronen Saban, regional manager for Dizengoff, could not be reached for comment.

Local History

NCCI bought its headquarters property in 2001 from The St. Joe Co., which is still considered one of Florida’s largest landowner/developers. Various developers bought and sold the Central Park property over the years.  It was eventually purchased by Dallas-based real estate giant Trammell Crow, which sold it to Lennar shortly before the housing boom turned sour.

Danburg, who has been an active Boca developer for more than 30 years, keeps close tabs on the neighborhood.  He believes the Peninsula Corporate Circle area will someday be a thriving commercial hub.

He envisions green-canopied walking paths and trollies connecting the business corridor with other Boca Raton areas – such as the Florida Atlantic University campus.

Danburg is a fan of the national trend towards greener, more walkable cities, and foresees it coming to Northwest Boca Raton.

“We need some retail amenities here – some pharmacies, dry cleaners and eateries,” Danburg says.  “I think we’ll see smaller neighborhoods here as the northwest corridor is developed.”

Danburg and other property owners have recently formed the Northwest Boca Community Partnership to boost interest in the neighborhood and ensure that its future development is held to the same aesthetic standards as the rest of the city.

Walking Paths Everywhere

The area is already a walker’s paradise.

The path behind NCCI that runs along the canal continues all the way to FAU’s Research Park on Spanish River Boulevard.

The 25-acre Delray Oaks Natural Area, with its old growth forest and wetlands, sits just north of the Central Park enclave.

On the east side of Congress, a natural area leads into the 217-acre Yamato Scrub Natural Area.  It is the southernmost large scrub on the southeastern coast of Florida.  Within it there are five native Florida ecosystems including scrub, flatwoods, hammock, and basin marsh. 

Central Park residents and employees who live and work around Peninsula Corporate Circle enjoy walking around the lake and throughout the business parks.  Crosswalks were recently installed, at NCCI’s urging, to make walking less hazardous.

Markers installed throughout the business park let pedestrians know how far they’ve walked.  One loop around the lake is one-third of a mile.

NCCI’s Neighborliness

As the largest landowner, NCCI plays a supervisory role.  The company ensures that the lake is free of alligators and snakes, and urges the neighbors to keep up their properties and follow rules outlined by the Peninsula Corporate Center property owners’ association.

Over the years, Ehrnst has helped convince Lennar to complete the street and landscaping repairs.  NCCI also periodically reminds its employees to slow down when driving and watch out for pedestrians.

Ehrnst is trying to get the Florida Department of Transportation to replace to the Park and Ride highway sign over the I-95 off-ramp with one that says Peninsula Corporate Center.

Tri-Rail had originally planned to put a commuter train station on the west side of Congress, but scrapped the plan many years ago.

Noland and Danburg say they appreciate the role NCCI plays in keeping the neighborhood beautiful and safe.  They particularly praise Ehrnst for his hard work as board president, and his emphasis on holding down expenses.

“NCCI is a great neighbor, they really are,” Danburg says.  “You couldn’t ask for a better one.”

NCCI’s New Neighbor

NCCI is slated to have a new neighbor at 900 Peninsula Corporate Circle, although no date for groundbreaking has been set.

The Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board recently gave unanimous approval to the plans for the two-story crescent-shaped office building.  A 280-space parking garage is slated to be build behind the office building.

The complex will be build on the 3.76-acre vacant parcel of land next to the Mobil gas station.  The proposal was submitted to Dizengoff Trading, and Israeli company that bought the land at auction last year.

See the plans and architectural renderings that were submitted to the P&Z Board.

This is our live blog of London_S_Poodle’s experience as he competes at the 136th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show February 13th and 14th 2012.  Click on the graphic to the right for London’s Twitter Page.  Click “follow” and Danburg Management will donate $1 to the AKC Humane Fund for London’s the first 500 new followers  between February 8th and 14th.

Monday February 20th, 2012
“London” is America’s #1 All Breed Dog out of over 2 million dogs that compete in AKC events annually.  To view the Top 20 List, check out the Canine Chronicle: http://www.caninechronicle.com

London blogging on the iPad

Tuesday February 14, 2012 2:45 PM

We’d like to thank everybody who has supported London at AKC and at Westminster. Although London did not win his breed, he did win Best of Opposite Sex, meaning he was the best male in a breed that was one by a female.

Monday February 13, 2012 11:55 AM

Congratulations to GCh Vetset Kate Winsit handled by Allison Foley. Well done Ladies. Good luck in group! We’ll be back!

11:47 Made the first cut – results to come!

11:39 AM There he is !

11:32 AM London is on the floor at the Garden

11:17 AM According to the site only the “Live” Button is actually live, the other buttons are running about an hour behind – watch@danburg_boca and @London_S_Poodle on Twitter for more info – or keep refreshing here.

10:40 AM – Judging for Standard Poodles scheduled for 11:15

10:15 AM  – -Watching Live Stream at www.westminsterkennelclub.com

The actual stream is at http://characterchatter.usanetwork.com/wkc/show.php

Miniature Poodles are up – Waiting on Standard Poodles – watch this page for live updates !

__________________________________________________________________

Friday, February 10th, 2012

The London Times – An Exclusive Interview With London S. Poodle

The London Times: London, you’ve won 57 Best In Shows including the prestigious AKC/Eukanuba National Championship that aired nationally on ABC last week. Yet the odds posted by Wynn’s Casino in Las Vegas show that the Standard Poodle as a 20:1 shot to win at Westminster. The Pekingese at 6:1 is the favorite. Over 2,000 of the top dogs in the world are competing in the 136^th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  Westminster is the second oldest annual sporting event in the U.S. behind only the Kentucky Derby which started a year earlier. How does it feel to be in New York, what do you think about the odds, and what do you have to say to the Pekingese?

London S. Poodle: Woof.
______________________________________________________________________

February 8, 2012

Yes, we admit it  – we’ve gone dog crazy here at Danburg.  Our own London_S_Poodle took Orlando by storm, winning the AKC Eukanuba National Championship Dog Show.  London, along with owners Jamie Danburg and Michele Molnar are now off to New York for the Westminster Kennel Club Show February 13th and 14th.

Follow @London_S_Poodle on Twitter we’ll donate $1 for every new follower to the AKC Humane Fund.

The AKC Humane Fund

• Helps support Parent Club Rescue activities;
• Assists human-services organizations that permit domestic abuse victims to enter and stay in shelters with their pets;
• Provides resources to programs that educate adults and children about responsible dog ownership including The Awards for Canine Excellence and the Library at the American Kennel Club;
• Contributes to organizations that support its mission, including AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Museum of the Dog and AKC Companion Animal Recovery.
• It’s a worthy cause and it doesn’t cost you a penny, just follow London on Twitter !

Watch for live Westminster Twitter Coverage via @Danburg_Boca .

Watch this space for up to the minute coverage as London invades New York for the first time since 1776.

One of the benefits of London’s winning the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is access to the top people at Eukanuba, a division of Proctor and Gamble and one of the world’s leading pet food manufacturers. We are all concerned about proper nutrition. And nutrition for our four legged friends is just as important as it is to those of us on two legs.

The Danburg Team (DMC) was honored to have the opportunity to interview Dr. Eric Altom, (Dr. A) a, Ph.D Senior Nutritionist at Eukanuba, and Eukanuba Community Manager Jenifer Borke, RVT. Bios of Jenifer and Eric can be found at the bottom of this post:

DMC: Most of us are a lot more familiar with Human nutrition than dog nutrition. What are the differences?

Dr. A: A lot has to do with the specific amino acids and the quality of the protein. Dogs have 2-3 times the aerobic capacity of humans and need the protein to burn oxygen. They shouldn’t be carb-loading and 70-90%  percent of their energy comes from dietary fat.

DMC: One of our tenants’ biggest concern is grains, whether wheat corn or rice. What dangers to grains pose and how has Eukanuba responded to those dangers. We also hear a lot about food allergies among pets. What steps can you take with your pet’s diet to address those allergies?

Dr. A: Dogs do need a certain amount of metabolic carbs like corn, rice barley and oats. Some dogs may be allergic to the gluten, which is the protein component in grains. It is more likely that your dog’s allergies are caused by inhalation of pollens or dust. A lot of vets will try to put a dog on a diet to try to determine what food is causing the allergy, but that is really a shot in the dark. It is preferable to have the dog allergen tested. If I were to recommend a food for an allergic dog, I’d recommend our Iams  (also a Proctor and Gamble Product) Veterinary Formula Kangaroo and Oats product. Also, any product with Omega 3 will help to control allergies.

Jenifer: Omega 3 Fatty Acids help in managing allergies because they promote LESS of a inflammatory reaction than Omega 6 fatty acids.  We were the first to discover the Optimal Ratio of Omega 6:3 fatty acids to promote skin and coat health. You can read more about the ingredients Eukanuba uses on our Ingredient Analyzer: http://bit.ly/egt0Kv
DMC: Occasionally our dogs are going to eat something that drops on the floor or we can’t resist giving table scraps. What are the absolute no-no’s when it comes to feeding dogs.

Dr. A: We recommend against any table food for your dog. Dogs tend to just want you to give them something from the table, but we’d prefer it if you even gave them a dog biscuit from the table rather than table food.  Feeding table scraps  tends to create finicky dogs because they decide to hold out for something better. The absolute no-no’s include chocolate, raisins, and xylitol, found in sugar-free gum, candy and non-sugar sweeteners.

Jenifer: A great resource is the ASPCA website: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets http://bit.ly/zDsan6

DMC: Obesity is a problem among dogs and humans as well.  What can we all to do keep our dogs fit?

Dr. A: The most important tool is the measuring cup. If the directions say to give the dog a cup of food, get yourself an 8 ounce measuring cup. You certainly don’t want to use a stadium big gulp. Also, the dog needs a good walk and some play time. If you find your dog is overweight, Eukanuba has a variety of products geared to weight control and weight loss. We also have a variety of formulas based on the age of your dog.

Jenifer: For more information see Feeding Overweight Dogs | Eukanuba Adult Dog Guide http://bit.ly/lCNcgS

DMC:  Thanks Jenifer, with you around, who needs Google ! (Link to Jenifer’s Blog Below)

DMC: Some of our tenants have expressed a preference for small boutique food manufacturers rather than a large company. How do you respond to those concerns?

Dr. A: We spend a lot of time and money on research and development. We are responsible for a lot of firsts in the industry and have a lot of patents. We have the resources and technical support necessary to respond to any problems. Smaller companies generally do not have the doctors and scientists that we have and you can’t guarantee consistency in the product over time.

Our product is consistent no matter where you buy it. We had a sled dog team come from Norway and the Eukanuba they got here was the same product they got at home. We also have a money back guarantee.

DMC: Some of our tenants have gone to organic diets for their pets.  Tell us about Eukanuba’s Natural Options.

Dr A: Iams Natura and Eukanuba foods are all natural with no artificial preservatives and added vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Organic is more of a lifestyle choice, but Natura’s  Karma product line meets the 95% organic standard.

DMC: Our vet recommends and sells only a competitor’s product. If we wanted to switch to Eukanuba how do you recommend we go about it.

Dr. A: Some dogs are on prescription diets, but you can ask your vet to find a Eukanuba product that works for your dog. You can also have your vet contact our sales department.

If you do want to change your dog’s food, I recommend you do it over a week or two. It is best to go ¾ old and ¼ new for about 3 days then go to half and half for a few days then to ¾ new and ¼ old and finally to the new food. This reduces the shock to the dog’s digestive system. It is also good to reduce the food intake over the transition. If you notice the dog is having digestive problems you can extend the process.

DMC: Dogs, like people have different nutritional needs at different stages of life. How does your product line address this?

Dr. A: Eukanuba was the first manufacturer to produce a large breed puppy formula, we also have products for mature dogs, large dogs, older dogs and overweight dogs. We have a team of veterinarians and scientists that research dog nutrition needs and are constantly developing new products.

Jenifer: You can read more about this Nutritional First here: http://bit.ly/x2VX7r

DMC: What food do you personally use?

Dr. A. I have some sporting dogs and an older dog and all of my dogs have been eating only Eukanuba  for 20 years. I’ve been with the company since 1999, and was a customer from seven years prior to my joining the company.  I’ve always believed in the product.

Jenifer: I feed my Australian Shepherd Eukanuba Sensitive Skin, and my Shih tzu Eukanuba Small Breed Senior.  My new German Shepherd puppy is eating Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy!

DMC: There are all kinds of dog treats out there. What do you recommend?

Dr. A: My dogs love the Eukanuba Healthy Extras and the Iams Biscuits. If you go with the smaller ones you can give more. The young pups love the liver snacks.

DMC: How can our readers get answers to questions?

Jenifer: The Eukanuba.com site has a lot of product specific Frequently Asked Questions. Use the Eukanuba Advisor Button on our Home Page to search our FAQ’s or you have the option to e-mail and expert. You can also call 1.800.423.6036. Most of our support personnel have been with us for 10 years or more, so you get very professional service.  One of the best places for answers is our Facebook page where we will also respond to all questions.

DMC: What is new and exciting in the Dog Food Business?

Dr. A: One of the things I’m most excited about our prebiotic products. The Prebiotic, FOS (fructooligosaccharides), is a naturally occurring fiber that supports your dog’s defenses by nurturing the  good bacteria in the digestive tract. This results in the good bacteria crowding out the bad, leading to a healthier digestive tract.  We were the first dog food brand to include FOS and it is now in a majority of our products.

DMC: We’d like to thank Jenifer and Eric for putting together this interview for us.  We hope our readers have learned something about pet nutrition and you can get even more information at Eukanuba.com

We invite all our readers to tune in to ABC on Saturday February 4th from 2-4 PM for the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Dog Show. Watch us win the biggest prize in the Dog Show World.  We guarantee a win for “London” the standard poodle owned by Jamie Danburg and Michele Molnar. (They were there when the show was taped in December)

Also be sure to tune in on February 13th and 14th in prime time as London tries to bring another major title home to Boca in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show from Madison Square Garden in New York. Westminster, in its 136th Year, is the second longest running sporting event in U.S. behind only the Kentucky Derby, which started a year earlier.

Eric K. Altom, Ph.D. | Senior Nutritionist, P&G Professional Pet Care
Dr. Eric Altom was reared in the Carolinas and Middle Tennessee.  He is a scientist and sportsman whose research and passion have a common focus: canine athletes.

Dr. Altom received his BS degree in animal science from Tennessee Technological University in 1991, followed by an MS in nutrition from Clemson University in 1994. He completed his doctoral training at Auburn University’s Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences in 1999, working with the College of Veterinary Medicine Sports Medicine Program.  His studies focused on canine diets and physical conditioning.

In 1999, Dr. Altom accepted a position with The Iams Company / P&G Pet Care in the research and development division where he explored novel diet formulations, ingredient qualifications, and the interactions of critical nutrients and metabolic stress.  He is presently a senior nutritionist with the Professional Pet Care team where he leads clinical research and educates industry leaders.  He believes his programs will greatly contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the nutritional needs and well-being of companion animals.   His program has resulted in numerous published articles and abstracts. Dr. Altom and his family breed and train Labrador retrievers and English setters, and he regularly judges and competes in licensed field trials in his spare time.

Jenifer Borke, Registered Veterinary Technician | Eukanuba Community Manager

I started working for P&G Pet Care in 2007 in Consumer Relations.  As a Veterinarian Technician, I have worked on the Pet Health & Safety team handling escalated pet health concerns from our consumers.  I have also worked as a Team Leader for Operations in our in-house call center that handles all of the contacts for North America (Yes, you actually talk to real people when you call us, in the US!).

For the past two years I have supported P&G Pet Care online as well; I am the Eukanuba Community Manager and am the person behind the posts on Eukanuba Facebook, Eukanuba Twitter, and assist on the AKC Eukanuba National Championship Facebook page. I also manage the Eukanuba Unleashed Blog, travel to Eukanuba events: The AKC Eukanuba National Championship, Surf Dog SurfaThon in San Diego and traveled to England last year to bring back Griffin, a PBGV and our future VP of Canine Communications.  I love my job.

My Life Outside of Work:
Living on a farm means having a lot to do outside of work.  Currently the animals calling my farm their home is:  one rescued horse, a cantankerous donkey, 1 pygmy goat, flock of laying hens, Sedona the Australian Shepherd, Wally a cranky Shih-tzu and my brand new puppy, Lotus, and female German Shepherd.

In our “Test The Waters” ad, which appears on page 14 of the special section (also shown below), we emphasize that our small office and warehouse spaces provide a great way for firms to establish an initial presence in South Florida.

Through new initiatives like MedUTech and The Northwest Boca Raton Community Partnership, we encourage you; our friends, neighbors and tenants to join us in working to ensure a bright future for our great city.

(original article from the South Florida Business Journal can be found here: http://www2.bizjournals.com/southflorida/events/2012/MedUTech/developers-look-to-revitalize-citys.html)
N.W. Sector Planned Mobility Vision Concept, Flagler Real Estate Services, LLC

Like starting with a clean slate in a city almost nine decades old, area developers, landowners and service providers are looking to the “Northwest Sector” as a chance to bring new development and much-needed amenities to an outlying area of Boca Raton.

The 2,200-acre sector, bordered by Congress Avenue, Interstate 95, Spanish River Drive and Military Trail, once was the epicenter to IBM and the city’s growing technology hub. Still active as a center of business, property owners and developers see gaps that – once filled – will round out a robust commerce center.

What’s missing? Retail to serve the shopping needs of thousands who work there. Luxury, apartment-style residences for short-term and contract workers. Restaurants to feed executives and employees who now must drive longer distances to lunch – or eat in-office. Medical complexes, doctors offices and diagnostic facilities to bring healthcare to the workers – and reduce the need to take time off to visit the doctor or clinic.

Jamie Danburg, President, Danburg Management

“There’s a huge demand for this. Little has been built here in 25 years,” says Jamie Danburg, president of Danburg Management. The international developer and landowner plans a $50 million project on 10 acres it owns near Clint Moore Road and Congress Avenue. “This is what this area of the city needs. We need more amenities to make it a better environment for the community, employers and employees.”

Danburg’s project, in partnership with Flagler, includes up to 260 luxury garden rental apartments, retail and casual dining, and medical offices.

The area remains an active employment and light industrial zone. Large employers in and around the area include IBM, NCCI, Siemens, Verizon Wireless, Office Depot, Océ, Tyco/ADT and 3Ci. Yet landowners, city planners and regional service providers see the need to develop more amenities to serve them. For its part, Boca Raton Regional Hospital has looked to the northwest with a mix of physician offices, urgent care centers, and ambulatory care centers as a strategy to serve the population and moderate its own traditionally seasonal and Medicare dependence, says Jerry J. Fedele, the hospital’s President /CEO.

In far-reaching plans, some of the 68 developers or landowners in the area expect the mixed-use solution will deliver services – with little impact on density or intensity. Aside from retail, food service, residential and medical, they’re considering educational facilities to help foster job development. Development and construction will include sustainability solutions to reduce the use of natural resources through power and mobility management, says Keith O’Donnell, Senior Managing Director with Flagler, the Boca Raton developer involved in three projects.

The city council recently voted 5-0 in favor of changing the comprehensive land-use plan. These are part of a “multiple-step process” in transforming an evolving city, says Leif Ahnell, Boca’s city manager. “This is setting the pathway.”

Some 40 years after IBM arrived, aging buildings on prime properties present an ideal opportunity for redevelopment in the area. For now, developers and city leaders are lining up resources and getting plans in order.

“The zoning needs to be better defined and articulate how to bring more amenities to this large area,” O’Donnell says. “It’s about reducing dependency on the car by putting complementary uses next to each other. It’s a smart way of positioning harmonious, pedestrian friendly facilities.”

The Northwest is just one area seeing change and contributing to a new tapestry that is a new Boca Raton. Like the creation of Mizner Park, the beautification of First Avenue between Palmetto Park Road and Mizner Boulevard, or even the Lynn University Concert Hall or the new football stadium at FAU, it’s all led to a sense of place and “a sense of optimism,” says Charlie Siemon, a long-time land-use attorney with Siemon and Larson.

“The city has taken positive steps toward renovating planning and land-use controls to help with revitalization of older areas,” Siemon says. “It’s part of a community finding its way to participating in what increasingly is a global economy.

airing nationally Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on ABC

Click to follow London S Poodle

Standard Poodle GCH CH Jaset’s Satisfaction, (or “London” as we know him) owned by our own Jamie Danburg and Michele Molnar was named best in Show at the event which was taped on December 18. Michele is asking London’s fans to wear Pink on February 4th in honor of Eukanuba.

WATCH LIVE OR SET YOUR DVR’s

AKC EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sat. Feb. 4,  2PM- 4PM on ABC (Channel 25 in West Palm – Comcast 10 or 431)

THE WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB
Monday February 13 schedule:
Hounds, Toys, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups televised live on USA Network from 8-9 p.m. ET and on CNBC from 9-11 p.m. ET.  (London Will Compete in The Non-Sporting Group)

Tuesday February 14th schedule:
Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, followed by Best In Show televised live on USA Network from 8-11 p.m. ET. (Can London capture “Best in Show” honors?)

Danburg.com is my baby.  I designed and uploaded the first generation myself back in 1999.  Our latest incarnation, Danburg 3.0 is upgraded for today’s social web.  We’ve always had real-time availabilities, but we have expanded it to have an interactive blog with fresh content (like this), a local news feed, and a private directory for our tenants.

We have always strived to be cutting edge when it comes to technology. I take a lot of pride that we are always near the top when people are searching for office or warehouse space in Boca Raton.  But in this new “phonebook”, am I somebody? Did we make the top million?
Sadly, we didn’t make the list.  And yes, I am disappointed, but I’m not discouraged.  There are over 200 million registered web domains.  I heard a great quote — “if you’re one in a million in China, there are 1,000 of you”.

Our site is listed by Majestic with 42 referring domains at 80 external back links, which means there are links to our site on 80 pages in 42 sites. www.music.itop.net, part of a Russian Entertainment site, tied for #1,000,000 with 343 referring domains, (now 344 thanks to me), so we have a ways to go.

I will take satisfaction that we have one of the best commercial real estate sites in South Florida, and that if people are looking for us, they can find us on Google, or just about any place on the web.  Hopefully, some of you will like our blog and link to us.  Can we crack the top million?  Not sure, but we’ll let you know where we stand in 2013.

The list itself is fairly interesting.  Not surprisingly, Google and Facebook checked in as #1 and #2.  Adobe is third, which makes sense because they get a link from almost everybody who puts a PDF file on their site.  Three more Google sites (Youtube #4, Blogspot #9 and Google Maps #10) cracked the top 10.  Twitter (#5) shows how powerful social media has become.  Microsoft (#6) and Wikipedia (#7) round out the top 10.

Some other household names include Amazon (#19), Myspace (you mean people still use that site? #20), AOL (how the mighty have fallen #35) and Ebay (#39).  For colleges, MIT is #62, Stanford is #69, Cal Berkley is #80 and Harvard #82 (but people are asking for a playoff system).  BBC is tops in media at #22 followed by the New York Times #24 and CNN #30.

In our field of commercial real estate, CB Richard Ellis is #20,021 or six spots ahead of porn.com.  Cushman and Wakefield checks in at #26,690, Colliers is #31,375, and Jones Lang #43,436.  For Real Estate Information, Realtor.com is #1,834, Costar is #17,851 and Loopnet is #10,335.

It’s endless fun for your inner nerd to browse down the list.  (You’ll need Excel 2007 or later).  Are external back links the proper way to determine the most popular sites?  I’m not sure, but that is the way Google ranks them, so my opinion really doesn’t matter.  That’s all I’ve got for today.  If you’re looking for me, I’ll be sitting at the door waiting for my new phonebooks!

– Ken Silberling, Director of Business Development

Click on the link above or visit www.infinitytelecom.net for more info. Our property pages also link to Infinity.

To put “London S Poodle’s” 51 “Best in Show” titles in perspective, that’s more wins that Muhammad Ali, twice as many championships as the New York Yankees and he has beaten 2.3 million show dogs in competition over the past 2 years. So you would think people would be asking, how does he do it, or what outstanding characteristic sets him apart, etc.

Wrong – All people want to know is:

What’s up with the haircut ?

So, by popular demand, here goes…

“London” in “Continental Clip” Wins Best In Show 12-17-2011

Creatures resembling poodles have been found on Roman tombs, Greek and Roman coins, and monuments dating back to A.D. 30. Still, most experts trace the poodle haircut to 16th and 17th century Germany where poodles were bred for use as water retrievers. (The word “poodle” is derived from the German pudelhund, which means “water dog.”)

Poodles in that era had these unusual clips out of occupational necessity: A  poodle’s thick coat could weigh it down in the water. With the bottom half of its body shaved, the poodle was more buoyant and swam more freely. The long mane and hair around the chest kept the poodle’s organs warm in the cold water, and owners also kept the hair around the joints to protect them from cold and injury. Shaving the hair around the face left the poodle’s mouth and eyes free to engage in their retrieving responsibilities, and tying the hair on a poodle’s head into a “top knot” also kept hair out of its eyes. Owners eventually tied these knots with brightly colored ribbons to help them identify their dogs from afar.

These days, poodles competing at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club in New York generally sport one of two coat patterns, the Continental or the English Saddle.  The “corded” look, which resembles Jamaican “dreadlocks” is also approved but is less common as it is more difficult to maintain.Prepping a show poodle takes considerable time. About two days before an important competition, poodles usually undergo a “rough cut” grooming that shapes the hair into an outline of the show style. The morning of the event, a poodle’s coat is carefully blow-dried, and the pompoms, mane, and decorative bracelets are scissored and styled. Top handlers will work with only the finest scissors; the best are generally produced in Japan and can cost upward of $600.

All the time an effort is well worth it as poodles have always been among the crowd favorites at major dog shows worldwide. Poodles have won Best in Show at the Westminster on nine occasions. Our “London’s” 51 titles are further evidence of the popularity of a an unusual haircut that originated to help a working dog to move more efficiently through the water.

Be sure to tune in and see “London”  Saturday, February 4th, 2012 on ABC: AKC/Eukanuba National Championship

THE WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB
MONDAY AND TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13-14, 2012
Monday schedule: Hounds, Toys, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups televised live on USA Network from 8-9 p.m. ET and on CNBC from 9-11 p.m. ET.
Tuesday schedule: Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups, followed by Best In Show televised live on USA Network from 8-11 p.m. ET.

The “Corded” Look